Synonyms: Heros managuense
Physical description: An elongated cichlid with an up-turned mouth. The most common color type has a pinkish-gray to beige background, base coloration. The body is covered with black spots and splotches. These are very irregular and no two fish have the same pattern. On the fins, this pattern continues. The iris of the eye is bright red.
Size/Length: Males to 20" (50 cm), females to 16" (40 cm); not usually larger than 14" (35 cm) in captivity.
Similar species: C. mortaguense
Habitat: Found in still to slow-moving water. Central America: Lake Managua, Lake Nicaragua in Nicaragua; to Southern Costa Rica and Southern Honduras.
S: bottom
Aquarium: 36" (91 cm) or 45 gallons (170 L) is sufficient for young individuals up to 8" (20 cm). However, this fish can grow up to 12" (30 cm) its first year, and should be moved to a 72" (183 cm) or 100 gallon (378 L) tank. The tank should have open swimming areas, and be supplied with hiding places of rocks, roots, and wood. These fish burrow and uproot plants. Use potted or plastic plants.
Water chemistry: pH 7-8.5 (7.2), dH 5-18 (8), 73-79°F (23-26°C)
Social behavior: A territorial fish that is an active predator. The Managuense is intolerant of its own species. Combine with other large, robust fish, especially cichlids. Pairs form nuclear families and are fine parents.
Suggested companions: Cichlasomines, other South American cichlids, Loricarids, Pimelodids, large Characins, Hemichromis, Tilapia.
FOOD: Live; fish, earthworms; raw meat; pellets; large flakes; tablets
Sexual differences: The larger and more colorful males have pointed anal and dorsal fins. Males have a pointed genital papilla.
Breeding techniques: Some report breeding as difficult while others consider it fairly easy. In any case, up to 5000 yellow eggs are laid on a surface. The male guards the eggs and the fry very aggressively. The young grow quickly if fed live foods (Daphnia, Artemia). The pair often will break up after spawning and look for another mate.
Breeding potential: 7. Breeding the Managuense is fairly difficult because of the size the fish reach.
Remarks: The Managuense is a major food fish and can often be found in local fish markets in its native lands. Different color populations based on geographical location exist.
Difficulty of care: 6. The Managuense grows to a very large size. It must be regularly fed live foods to keep it from picking on smaller tank mates.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees (2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater (12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing (7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
The copy for fish.mongabay.com was written in 1994-1995. Therefore some information such as scientific names may be out of date. For this, I apologize. Feel free to send corrections to me.
